Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Albeit some disappointment in my performance, I am still proud of myself for completing the 2013 Malakoff Powerman Asian Championships in the Sprint Category last Sunday. This is yet another birthday wish ticked on my half-centurion birthday wishlist.

This championship is a run-bike-run race and the sprint category covered a 5.5km run followed by a 32km bicycle ride that ended with another 5.5km run. Despite being a little nervous at the start, I managed to complete the first 5.5km run in about 45 minutes before going on to complete my bike ride within 1hr 25mins. It is unfortunate that I had cramps building up in my calves during the last 10km of the bike ride. I decided to walk at the start of the second leg of my run, hoping to walk off the cramps before slowly building up to a slow run. Too bad I had to walk about 80% of the way as the cramps returned whenever I tried to run. I reached the finish line slightly more than an hour. While the official results is not out yet ... I believe I completed the race in about 3hrs 10mins based on my own timing. This is almost half-an-hour outside my targeted time.

I had made a bad decision to forego wearing my compression calf guards for this race and suffered a disappointing consequence. Well next time ... if there ever is a next time ... I will be the wiser!

Thursday, October 10, 2013

The last article I published about the law of attraction was in June 2013. More than three months’ ago but I can’t help thinking that I’ve put my writing on the back burner for a tad too long. The more I thought about it, the more I felt the pressure to write, then the more I suffered a writer’s block and the more I procrastinated.

I realized I had been obviously pushing myself too hard. I know I have been very focused on making myself fit enough to meet the challenges of an ultra-trail marathon but unconsciously I have also turned myself back into the uptight person I once was. It has been two weeks since the ultra-trail marathon ended and it’s been more than a week since I’ve been down with a viral infection. While being down with fever and coughing my tears out this past week, I’ve had the chance to slowly resettle my train of thoughts. Yeah, being sick is probably a blessing in disguise.

I discovered I have been putting myself on a full-scale defensive by creating pressure and losing my initial objective of joining the ultra-trail marathon. I have totally lost sight that I had only wanted to enjoy the experience. Irrespective whether I complete the challenge or otherwise, it is the experience that counts. Regretfully I have gotten off the track losing focus on the original goals that I have set up for myself.

Discovering the law of attraction had taught me to stay focused on my goals and take inspired actions to their effect. Thankfully, my efforts had been pretty fruitful so far as I observe their positive influence on my life these past 5 years. Of course more will be coming my way but not before I put myself back on the right track again.

It is never too late to start all over once you have realized that you have gone off track. When you acknowledge the fact that you are facing a struggle to remember your original goals or desires, it is about time to decide going back to basics. Actually, what does going back to basics mean?

It does not necessary mean starting all over again. You don’t have to. After all, you have already been pretty successful practising the law of attraction before this little setback. You just need to renew your resolutions and determination by following these steps;

1.Return to the beginning and reacquaint yourself with your original goals and desires. It helps to remind yourself why you started your journey of change in the first place.

2.Reinforce the reasons why the changes you seek had been so important to you. This will help to revitalise your enthusiasms.

3.Make a list of proofs of the positive changes that happened in your life so far. It helps to boost your confidence in your actions and promote more inspired actions.

4.Observe the improvement in your inner strengths and identify where there may be room for further improvements.

5.Re-strategize your efforts with the incorporation of new goals, purposes and desires. This will definitely prevent you from running around like a headless chicken.

With the newfound clarity, you will become focused again. You will regain the trust in your intuitive self to lead you with renewed instincts. As you begin getting back on track, you will embark on doing mostly the highest payoff activities that will impact both your old and new goals.

Alas, I did not managed to complete the 50km challenge in the ultra-trail marathon but the experience was indeed a thrilling adventure that I will treasure forever. My everyday life will not be back to as it was 3 months’ ago. Having just past my half-centurion milestone, I’ve decided to dare myself to experience activities that I’ve never ever thought I’d do. At least once!

Life is meant to be enjoyed and there’s no fun unless you can deliberately seek new experiences and overcome the limitations that you have been conditioned with all your lives. Life experiences need not be a challenge as long as your carry the clarity and focus on why you want the change you seek. It does not matter whether you win, lose or finished half-way you are already a winner for giving the experience a try.